Feast of features at Greyville

Jack Milner

Racing fans are in for a massive treat at Hollywoodbets Greyville on Sunday 30 July with the running of the 10-race Gold Cup meeting which comprises four Grade 1 races, three Grade 2s one Grade 3 and two Listed events.

Some of the best horses in the country will be seen in action and probably the only two missing are Charles Dickens and unbeaten two-year-old Mrs Geriatrix, both of whom are having well-deserved rests.

To add to the thrill are some massive carryovers, R2 million to the Pick 6 and R1 million to the Quartet on the World Pool Gold Cup, and it is a Hong Kong World Pool meeting so TAB payouts will be enormous on many of the bets on offer.

The R1-million Grade 3 World Pool Gold Cup over 3200m has some outstanding stayers in the line-up, headed up by new sensation Future Pearl from the Sean Tarry yard.  

The three-year-old son of Futura may even have found 2400m in the Lonsdale Stirrup Cup a touch short but the manner in which he disposed of his opposition in the Grade 3 Gold Vase on Durban July Day indicates he is clearly the runner they will have to beat.

He is beautifully drawn in gate No 3 and has Richard Fourie in the irons.

He will be joined by the last two winners of this race, Nebraas in 2021 and Shangani in 2022, and they will not be short of supporters.

Adding to the excitement of the day is the news that Hollywoodbets Durban July runner-up See It Again will be taking his place in the field for the Grade 1 HKJC Champions Cup over 1800m.

While he had to give weight to many older runners in the Durban July, the R1.25-million Champions Cup is run at weight-for-age which means he will be well in under the race conditions.

The Michael Roberts-trained runner will be ridden again by Piere Strydom but they will have to jump from No 11 draw.

He is not the best handicapped runner. That position goes to Princess Calla who gets a 2.5kg sex allowance. Tarry has opted to put her in this race rather than the Grade 1 Mercury Sprint over 1200m and under the conditions, she must have some sort of chance.

Again, Fourie takes the ride.

Without Princess Calla in the Mercury Sprint, Gimme A Prince could be a possible Pick 6 banker. Dean Kannemeyer’s charge has claims to be named the best sprinter in the country and from No 4 draw Keagan de Melo should be able to get him well positioned.

Tarry has been quite happy to let unbeaten Lucky Lad take his place in the Grade 1 World Pool Moment Of The Day Champion Stakes for two-year-olds over 1600m despite having landed a wide draw.

So far very few runners have got close to this son of Gimmethegreenlight but he goes around the turn and tries 1600m for the first time.

The one runner who has got close, Golden Horseshoe winner Sandringham Summit, is drawn on the outside of Lucky Lad.

The Grade 1 Douglas Whyte Stakes for two-year-old fillies over 1600m closes off the Pick 6 and this looks wide open without Mrs Geriatrix. However, Golden Slipper runner-up Rascova and third-placed Egyptian Mau could be the main contenders.

We will also welcome back Lyle Hewitson to our shores, and he will be hoping to pick up a winner or two on the day.    

WORLD POOL GOLD CUP (Grade 3)(Open) R1-million 3200m

1 - 1 RAISEAHALLELUJAH (C Dawson) J P v'd Merwe 54.0 - 99

2 - 2 SENSO UNICO (V H Marshall) S Veale 55.5 - 108

3 - 3 FUTURE PEARL (S G Tarry) R Fourie 55.0 - 112

4 - 4 ARUMUGAM (W H Marwing) K A Brewer 54.0 - 94

5 - 5 FIGHT SONG (G van Zyl (Jnr)) S Hlengwa 54.0 - 94

6 - 6 SHANGANI (A P Peter) C Zackey 60.0 - 120

7 - 7 NEBRAAS (S G Tarry) L Hewitson 59.0 - 117

8 - 8 ROCKIE REEF (P B Muscutt) T Godden 54.0 - 92

9 - 9 FLYING FIRST CLASS (D Nieuwenhuizen) C Habib 54.0 - 91

10 - 10 ONE WAY TRAFFIC (J S Snaith) G van Niekerk 56.0 - 108

11 - 11 BLACK THORN (M F De Kock) K de Melo 54.0 - 102

12 - 12 SEA MASTER (G van Zyl (Jnr)) A Mgudlwa 54.0 - 99

13 - 13 ARAGOSTA (M F De Kock) S Khumalo 57.5 - 114

14 - 14 CRIMSON KING (B Crawford) K Matsunyane 54.0 - 101

15 - 15 SALVATOR MUNDI (J S Snaith) G Lerena 56.5 - 109

Reserve Runners

16 - 0 ELECTRIC SURGE (R A Hill) Reserve 1 54.0 - 83

Same Trainer: (3,7) (5,12) (10,15) (11,13)

THE HKJC CHAMPIONS CUP (Grade 1)(Horses at Weight-For-Age) R1.25 million 1800m

1 - 1 DAVE THE KING (M F De Kock) K de Melo 58.5 - 122

2 - 2 ZAPATILLAS (B Crawford) L Mxothwa 60.0 - 126

3 - 3 TRIP OF FORTUNE (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 60.0 - 127

4 - 4 SAFE PASSAGE (M F De Kock) L Hewitson 60.0 - 122

5 - 5 RASCALLION (V H Marshall) B Fayd'Herbe 60.0 - 121

6 - 6 BARTHOLDI (M/A Azzie) C Zackey 60.0 - 119

7 - 7 POMP AND POWER (J S Snaith) G Lerena 60.0 - 120

8 - 8 MK'S PRIDE (R R Sage) M Yeni 60.0 - 122

9 - 9 SECOND BASE (R Klaasen) C Maujean 60.0 - 120

10 - 10 PRINCESS CALLA (S G Tarry) R Fourie 57.5 - 127

11 - 11 SEE IT AGAIN (M L Roberts) P Strydom 58.5 - 131

12 - 12 AL MUTHANA (R Maingard) G van Niekerk 60.0 - 130

Same Trainer: (1,4)

MERCURY SPRINT (Grade 1)(Horses at Weight-For-Age) R1 million 1200m

1 - 1 GLADATORIAN (S H Ferrie) S Veale 59.5 - 114

2 - 2 SHEELA (M/A Azzie) L Hewitson 57.5 - 121

3 - 3 DANILO DANILOVITCH (P F Matchett) P Mxoli 60.0 - 108

4 - 4 GIMME A PRINCE (D Kannemeyer) K de Melo 60.0 - 130

5 - 5 VAL D'ORCIA (A P Peter) C Zackey 60.0 - 103

6 - 6 THUNDERSTRUCK (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 59.5 - 117

7 - 7 SURJAY (B Crawford) L Mxothwa 60.0 - 119

8 - 8 CABINET SHUFFLE (R Klaasen) K Matsunyane 60.0 - 102

9 - 9 ISIVUNGUVUNGU (P B Muscutt) R Fourie 60.0 - 130

10 - 10 PEARL OF ASIA (R A Hill) S Moodley 60.0 - 109

11 - 11 WILLIAM ROBERTSON (C Spies) M Yeni 60.0 - 125

12 - 12 SILVER OPERATOR (V H Marshall) G van Niekerk 60.0 - 114

13 - 13 SEEKING THE STARS (V H Marshall) B Fayd'Herbe 60.0 - 123

Same Trainer: (12,13)

WORLD POOL MOMENT OF THE DAY CHAMPION STAKES (Grade 1)(For two-year-olds) R700,000 1600m

1 - 1 FRANCINE (M/A Azzie) L Hewitson 57.5 - 88

2 - 2 LONGSWORD (S G Tarry) K Matsunyane 60.0 - 88

3 - 3 WE ARE THE LOGANS (A P Peter) D Schwarz 60.0 - 87

4 - 4 HOTARUBI (S G Tarry) A Mgudlwa 60.0 - 92

5 - 5 MAIN DEFENDER (A P Peter) C Zackey 60.0 - 113

6 - 6 ERMELO (D I Campbell) R A Venniker 60.0 - 96

7 - 7 JUST VAR (R Maingard) G van Niekerk 60.0 - 86

8 - 8 DOWN BY THE RIVER (P B Muscutt) K de Melo 60.0 - 93

9 - 9 ROMANCE IN ROME (M D Miller) T Godden 60.0 - 97

10 - 10 KYOMAI (A P Peter) M Yeni 60.0 - 92

11 - 11 PURE PREDATOR (F Bronkhorst) G Lerena 60.0 - 103

12 - 12 THE AFRICA HOUSE (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 96

13 - 13 LUCKY LAD (S G Tarry) R Fourie 60.0 - 117

14 - 14 SANDRINGHAM SUMMIT (D Nieuwenhuizen) C Habib 60.0 - 110

Same Trainer: (2,4,12,13) (3,5,10)

DOUGLAS WHYTE STAKES (Grade 1)(For two-year-old Fillies) R700,000 1600m

1 - 1 SOLDIER'S EYE (W H Marwing) R A Venniker 60.0 - 94

2 - 2 LET'S GO NOW (S G Tarry) K de Melo 60.0 - 89

3 - 3 BAVARIAN BEAUTY (A P Peter) C Zackey 60.0 - 87

4 - 4 DISTANT WINTER (C Bass-Robinson) A Domeyer 60.0 - 101

5 - 5 RASCOVA (G S Kotzen) L Hewitson 60.0 - 104

6 - 6 DOLCEZZA (R Klaasen) K Matsunyane 60.0 - 94

7 - 7 EPIC VIEW (M D Miller) T Godden 60.0 - 88

8 - 8 LADY LACEWING (M D Miller) C Orffer 60.0 - 87

9 - 9 EGYPTIAN MAU (M N Houdalakis) R Fourie 60.0 - 103

10 - 10 LITTLE MIZ SWAGGER (F Bronkhorst) C Habib 60.0 - 88

11 - 11 PLATINA PRINCESS (M F De Kock) J P v'd Merwe 60.0 - 97

12 - 12 SECRET IDENTITY (H/M Crawford/Rix) G Lerena 60.0 - 98

13 - 13 BOSNAY (D W Moore) L Mxothwa 60.0 - 95

14 - 14 THAT'S MY BABY (S G Tarry) S Khumalo 60.0 - 95

15 - 0 KINGDOM OF GOLD (S G Tarry) Reserve 1 60.0 - 87

16 - 0 AFRICAN BEAT (M D Miller) Reserve 2 60.0 - 86

17 - 0 GIVERS GRACE (C Hewitson) Reserve 3 60.0 - 85

Same Trainer: (2,14,15) (7,8,16)